Lateral abutment devices for vehicle windows

ABSTRACT

A device for preventing the lateral movement of the side windows of a motor vehicle. A sensing and transmitting device is mounted on the side rail of the door and is actuated by the closing of the door. The sensing and transmitting device is connected to a receiver by a fluid circuit, the fluid being a liquid under pressure. The fluid transmitted by the sensing and transmitting device causes the receiver to act on a latching member through a push-rod to move the latching member into position on the opposite side of the window from the sealing member thereby providing an abutment preventing the lateral movement of the window.

United States Patent Grosseau 1541 LATERAL ABUTMENT DEVICES FOR VEHICLEwuvoows [72] inventor:

[73] Assignee:

Albert Grosseau, Paris, France Societe Anonyme Automobiles Citroen,Paris, France 1221 Filed: 11111.5,1971

1211 Appl.No.: 104,061

2,185,909 l/l 940 Caponey ..292/201 X 1 51 Oct. 17,1972

Attorney-Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack [57] ABSTRACT A device for preventingthe lateral movement of the side windows of a motor vehicle. A sensingand transmitting device is mounted on the side rail of the door and isactuated by the closing of the door. The sensing and transmitting deviceis connected to a receiver by a fluid circuit, the fluid being a liquidunder pressure. The fluid transmitted by the sensing and transmittingdevice causes the receiver to act on a latching member through apush-rod to move the latching member into position on the opposite sideof the window from the sealing member thereby providing an abutmentpreventing the lateral movement of the window.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDum n 1912 SHEET 1 BF 2 InventorAlbert Grosseau 811W ikhk PATENTEBnm 11 I972 3.698.136

- sum 2 OF 2 Inventor Albert Grosseau LATERAL ABUTMENT'DEVICES FORVEHICLE .WINDOWS The inventionrelates to an abutment deviceparticuwindows frequently occurs on the side doors and gives rise tovibrations, draughts and sounds detrimental to confort.

The invention aims I to overcome the above-mentioned disturbanceswithout recourse to a method of pre-stressing with its undesirableconsequence (thick windows, strengthened window regulator mechanisms,difficult operation, etc by means of a simple device, hydraulically andremotely controlled, whose automatic action which is controlled by theoperation of the doors is free from human interference.

The present inventionfconsistsessentiallyin such a device wherein thewindows are urged against their ordinary sealing member upon the closingof the door, a hydraulic system comprising a dual action sensing andtransmitting device disposed between the door and the door frametransmits fluid under pressure to a hydraulic receiver which is mountedon the body of the vehicle and acts on a latching member whosedisplacement prevents any lateral loosening movement of the windowrelative to its sealing member.

In the accompanying drawings FIG. 1 shows a partial view of a vehiclecomprising the device according to the invention for preventing theloosening of the side windows of its front right door FIG. 2 shows theconstruction of the hydraulic sensing device on a larger scale FIG. 2ashows a detail of the mounting of thehydraulic sensing device relativeto the door;

FIG. 3 shows the arrangement of the receiving device FIG. 4 shows asection along a in FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, e

a vehicle is shown with a front right door A having a window B.

A hydraulic detector C in the illustrated embodiment is disposed at thelowerportion of the door between the side-member l and the fillister ofthe door. The detector C comprises an actuating push-button 2 adapted toslide in a hollow piston 3 guided in an element 4 and connected by aflexible membrane 5 to a casing 6 filled with oil or other liquid whichis transmitted under pressure to the receiver D through the tube 7 (FIG.2). It should be noted that a spring 8 is disposed between a disc 9 ofthe button 2 and an interior shoulder 10 in the piston 3. l

The receiver device D, whose construction is shown on a larger scale inF IG. 3, is mounted in the roof or top 11 of the vehicle as shown inFIG. 1. It is seen in FIG. 3 that the tube 7 opens into a casing 12 ofthe receiver device which receives liquid under pressure acting on thepiston 13 guided in the element 14 and provided with a flexible member15 whose edges are clamped between the element 14 and the casing 12.

The piston 13 acts on the lever 18 through the intermediary of thepush-rod 17 to effect the rotation of the pin 19 at the end of which alatching member 20 can 2 exertpressure against the face of the window Bin order to maintain it against the peripheral sealing member 22. Anopposed return spring 21 is mounted between the upper=end of the lever18 and a fixed point; the

spring 21 is stronger than thespring 8 of the hydraulic detector C r Theoperation of the device is as follows Door, closed (device in latchedposition) The double-acting detector C (compressed between v thefillisterand the-door sill) sends the liquid under pressure to thereceiver device D via tube 7 pushed forward, thepushrod 17 acts on thereturn lever 18 which it pivots with the pin 19 driving the latchingmember 20 whose body covers over a portion X of the surface of thewindow, thus stopping the lateral movement observed at high speedsJUnderthese conditions, the actuating push button'2 of thedouble actingdetector C is driven back by the fillister of. the door inside thepiston (spring 8 compressed) while at the other endof thecircuit,'the'resilient return-means (spring 21) more powerful than thespring 8, tends to cause thepivoting of the lever 18. and of thelatching member 20 opposed to the hydraulic force exerted by thedetector C. It is obvious from this fact and from the starting of anyopening operation, that the release of the spring 8 effects an actionthrough the spring 21 on the lever 18 which immediately causes therelease of the side of the window (latching member retracted). Thereduction of the path is, ofcourse, determined consequently.

In case of the closing operation, the time delay between the detectorand the receiving device obviously acts in reverse, the latching member20 only interferes in the window clearance plane after the passage ofthe time delay, while avoiding rebound phenomenon.

Of course the device described hereinabove is given only by way ofexample. All other alternative applications, combinations of devices ordetails are to be considered as being part of the invention.

It is important to specify on the other hand that the device describedcan be applied in the following particular cases:

l. framed or unframedwindows whose rest position in their bays oropenings are not controlled by any guiding means (no fixed frame) 2.Windows whose rest position in their bays are only partly guided(localized lateral control in certain convertibles) 3. Windows whosefixed guiding frames do not provide a sufficient rigidity to oppose thelateral forces which develop.

What is claimed as new is: 1. A device for lateral abutment of a vehicledoor window associated with a sealing member and normally in contactwith said sealing member upon the closing of the door comprising adouble-acting hydraulic detector, transmitter means disposed between thedoor panel and the door fillister, a hydraulic receiver mounted on thevehicle body top surmounting the window, a latching member actuated bysaid receiver for maintaining laterally said window when said door isclosed and preventing the window from moving from said sealing member,said detector containing a fluid to be transmitted under pressure tosaid receiver for the actuation of said latching member.

a part of said housing containing a fluid to be transmitted underpressure to said receiver whereby upon the closing of the door saidactuating button is moved into the piston and the piston exerts apressure on the fluid through the membrane to transmit fluid pressure tosaid receiver for the actuation of said window latching member.

3, A device according to claim 1, wherein said hydraulic receivercomprises a casing, a hollow piston in said casing, a flexible membranefixed to said casing and separating said piston from a part of saidcasing operatively connected to said detector for receiving pressurefluid when the vehicle door is closed, and a push-rod inside said pistonoperatively connected to said latching member.

4. A device for lateral abutment of a vehicle door window associatedwith a sealing member upon the closing of the door, comprising adouble-acting hydraulic detector, transmitter means disposed between thedoor panel and the door fillister, a hydraulic receiver mounted on thevehicle body top-surmounting the window, a latching member actuated bysaid receiver for maintaining laterally said window when said door isclosed and preventing the window from moving from said sealing member,said hydraulic receiver comprising a casing, a hollow piston in saiddasing, a flexible membrane fixed to said casing separating said pistonfrom a part of said casing operatively connected to said detector andreceiving pressure fluid when the vehicle door is closed, a push-rodinside said piston operatively connected to said latching member, saidlatching member being formed as a pivoting lever having a flat latchingportion to come in engagement with the window, said lever beingassociated with said receiver push-rod and supporting said latchingportion.

1. A device for lateral abutment of a vehicle door window associatedwith a sealing member and normally in contact with said sealing memberupon the closing of the door comprising a double-acting hydraulicdetector, transmitter means disposed between the door panel and the doorfillister, a hydraulic receiver mounted on the vehicle body topsurmounting the window, a latching member actuated by said receiver formaintaining laterally said window when said door is closed andpreventing the window from moving from said sealing member, saiddetector containing a fluid to be transmitted under pressure to saidreceiver for the actuation of said latching member.
 2. A device forlateral abutment of a vehicle door window associated with a sealingmember upon the closing of the door, comprising a receiver mounted onthe vehicle body top surmounting the window, a window latching member, adouble-acting hydraulic detector, transmitter means disposed between thedoor panel and the door fillister, said transmitter means comprising ahousing, a hollow piston in said housing, an actuating push-buttonslidably mounted in the piston, a compression spring acting between saidbutton and said piston, a flExible membrane separating said piston froma part of said housing containing a fluid to be transmitted underpressure to said receiver whereby upon the closing of the door saidactuating button is moved into the piston and the piston exerts apressure on the fluid through the membrane to transmit fluid pressure tosaid receiver for the actuation of said window latching member.
 3. Adevice according to claim 1, wherein said hydraulic receiver comprises acasing, a hollow piston in said casing, a flexible membrane fixed tosaid casing and separating said piston from a part of said casingoperatively connected to said detector for receiving pressure fluid whenthe vehicle door is closed, and a push-rod inside said pistonoperatively connected to said latching member.
 4. A device for lateralabutment of a vehicle door window associated with a sealing member uponthe closing of the door, comprising a double-acting hydraulic detector,transmitter means disposed between the door panel and the doorfillister, a hydraulic receiver mounted on the vehicle body topsurmounting the window, a latching member actuated by said receiver formaintaining laterally said window when said door is closed andpreventing the window from moving from said sealing member, saidhydraulic receiver comprising a casing, a hollow piston in said dasing,a flexible membrane fixed to said casing separating said piston from apart of said casing operatively connected to said detector and receivingpressure fluid when the vehicle door is closed, a push-rod inside saidpiston operatively connected to said latching member, said latchingmember being formed as a pivoting lever having a flat latching portionto come in engagement with the window, said lever being associated withsaid receiver push-rod and supporting said latching portion.